Contemporary Prism-Like House Taking Advantage of the Natural Surrounding

The challenge: to reconnect the inhabitant with the nature, in the heart of a typical neighborhood in San Francisco. Fougeron Architecture, the design studio in charge of completing the residential project called TheFlip House, took advantage of the benefits of modern architectural aesthetics and came up with an interesting idea: a prism-like house with vertical circulation, capable of ”exploiting” the advantages brought by the lush vegetation and the urban skyline. Due to the fact that the Flip House has three levels, the stairs play an important role in creating a connection between the spaces. The circulation is rationalized: basically, the idea of a disconnected staircase was replaced “with one rear stair that smoothly links all three levels and the garden below.”

A custom-built glass wall replaces the regular wall, creating a transparent environment. Each of the three vertical panels are clearly bounded. “The street-level entry now leads to a generous foyer that is open to this staircase and to a guest room/den. The open plan of the second floor allows the kitchen and living room space to look down into this den and outward to the striking city”. Despite the neutral palette of colors used in completing the décor, the interior is dynamic, hip and modern. How do you find this project? Smart or not?